Humidifier



L. W. HOYT Feb. 7, 1933.

HUMIDIFIER Filed March 6, 1931 Patented Feb. 7, 1933 LEROY W. HOY'I, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 'HUMIDIFIER Application filed March 6, 1931.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in humidifiers and has particular reference to a humidifier for moistening or humidifying the air in artificially heated rooms.

An object of the invention is to provide a humidifier which may be directly connected in and operated from the steam line of a radiator.

Another object is to provide a humidifier which will be noiseless in operation and which will supply relatively hot and therefore relatively invisible vapor to the surrounding atmosphere whereby the action of the humidifier will not be noticeable.

A further object is to provide a humidifier which will not require watching or regulating and which will not become dry and which may be depended on to function elficiently without further attention after proper in- 'stallation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein the improved vaporizer is shown. It is of course, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details ofco-nstruction herein disclosed'and that the same includes "all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims to which claims reference is to be had for a definition of'the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a humidifierin accordance with the invention, applied in and forming part of the steam line to a radiator; I

Fig. 2 is'a side elevational view showing another arrangement by which the improved humidifier may be connected to the steam line to a radiator;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View on an enlarged scale, a portion of the outer sleeve or casing of the humidifier being broken away;

Fig. 4; is a section of the humidifier on a somewhat smaller scale taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view on an enlarged scale; and

ball check valve 32.

Serial No. 520,495.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the lower end portion of the complete humidifier.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved humidifier generally indicated at 5 10 is shown in Fig. 1 as incorporated in and forming part of the steam line 11 to the upper portion of a radiator 12. If desired, a control valve 13 may be provided in the line 11 above the humidifier 10 whereby the radiator may be closed off without rendering the humidifier inoperative.

In Fig. 2 the humidifier is shown as connected at its lower end to a fitting 14 in the form of a T-coupling interposed in the line 15 supplying steam to the lower end of the radiator 16. Disposed in the line between the humidifier 10 and the radiator 16 is a cutoff valve 17 whereby the supply of steam to the radiator may be cut-off without putting the humidifier out of commission.

"The improved humidifier 10 includes a centrally disposed conduit or pipe section 18 threaded at its upper and lower exposed ends 19 and 20. 'Arran'ged' in spaced relation to the central or body portion of the conduit 18 is a sleeve or casing 21. This sleeve or casing is concentric with and surrounds the conduit 18 and is supported in spaced relation to the conduit .by means of curved baf- I fies 22, shown as extending from the lower edge of the sleeve 21 to a point flush with the upper edge thereof.

Between the bafiies 22 adjacent their lower ends are a series of members .or housings 23 closed at their sides by the bafiles and'internally divided into upper and lower chambers 24 and 25 as by means of a perforated dividing or partitioning member 26. A pipe or tube 27 is disposed about'the conduit 18 and extends through the lower chambers 25 of the housings 23, the baffles being-slotted as at 28 'to accommodate the tube. The pipe 27 is in communication with the interior of the conduit 18 through a branch 29 extending through a wall of the conduit. At its inner end branch 29 carries an elbow fitting 30 to which is secured a short tube or nipple 31 having a seat at its upper or inner end for a It will be obvious that a certain amount of steam passing through the line 11 which for part of its length is made up of the conduit 18, or passing through the line 15 with which the conduit 18 communicates will enter the branch 29 through the nipple 31, unseating the valve 32, and will pass to the ringlike pipe 27. As pipe 27 is perforated in its upper side as at 33 this steam will be discharged into the lower chamber 25 formed in the housing 23.

IVithin the chamber 25 of the housing and disposed above the perforations 33 in the ringlike pipe 27 is wire gauze 34 while in the chamber 24 is a fibrous material 35 which may be felt or the like. The housing 23 and its content acts as a muffler whereby the sound of escaping steam will not be heard. Further, the wire scrceen 34 will act to diffuse the steam discharged through the perforations 33 and this screen and the walls of the housing together with the partition 26 will act to conduct heat from the conduit 18 and the walls of the conduit themselves will, of course, transfer heat into the chambers whereby to prevent condensation.

It will be understood that the steam discharged through the perforations 33 of the ipe 27 will pass out of the chamber 25 through the perforations in the partition 26 into the chamber 24. The upper wall 36 of the housing is perforated as at 37 and the steam passes out of the housing into the passages 38 between the baffles 22. The upper wall 36 of the housing will, it will also be noted, form a receptacle 39 since the said upper wall inclines downwardly from its front edge toward the conduit 18.

The baffles 22 are so curved that the upper portion of each baffie is disposed more or less over the openings 37 in the top wall '36 of one of the housings 23. That is, as

viewed in Fig. 3 the upper portion of each baflle is so curved that said upper portion extends over the housing 23 immediately to the left of the baffle. Since each of the baflles at its inn-er edge is in engagement with the conduit 18 these baffles will carry heat from the conduit and the steam or vapor passing upwardly from the housings through the air passages 38 between the baffles will contact with the upper portions of the baffle and be heated whereby to prevent condensation.

Should condensation form on the bafiles it will follow down the walls of the baffles and collect in the shallow recesses or depressions 39 formed by the upper walls of the respective housings. The liquid will re main in these depressions until vaporized and will npt drip onto the fioor. In the event of failure of steam pressure in the steam line in which the humidifier is incorporated, the ball valve 32 will, of course, seat itself and prevent air flowing into the conduit. Further, all of the parts being more or less connected with the conduit 18 will receive heat therefrom whereby the vapors supplied by the humidifier will be relatively hot and dry and there will be little, if any, likelihood of condensation.

Of course, it will be understood, that the passages 38 are open at both their upper and lower ends and that the heated vapors or steam discharged into these passages will have a tendency to pass upward therethrough. Such tendency will serve to draw air into the passages through their open lower ends and a circulation will be set up and the moisture and air mixed during its progress upward through the humidifier.

In Fig. 2 where the humidifier is simply tapped into or has connection with a steam line through one end, as for example the end 20 of the conduit, then it is necessary to close the other or upper end. of the conduit as by means of a cap 40.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the improved humidifier is so constructed and applied as not to require attention after once being properly installed. It is not necessary to supply the device with water from time to time or to observe or in any manner control its operation. Additionally it will be noted that owing to the muffling arrangement there will be no sound of escaping steam and that the device when installed as illustrated in the drawing may be permitted to continue its functioning should it become necessary or convenient to cut off the supply of steam to any radiator with which the device may be associated or in the steam supply line to which the device may be connected.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a humidifier, a central conduit adapted to be connected with a steam line to receive steam from the line, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said conduit, bafiies between the sleeve and conduit and supporting the sleeve on the conduit and forming vertically extending air passages between the sleeve and conduit, a pipe disposed about the lower portion of the conduit and having perforations in one ofits walls, a branch connecting said pipe with the interior of the conduit whereby the pipe receives steam from the conduit, and discharges steam through its perforations into the vertically extending air passages.

2. In a humidifier, a central conduit adapted to be connected with a steam line to receive steam from the line, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said conduit, baffles between the sleeve and conduit and supporting the sleeve on the conduit and forming vertically extending air passages between the sleeve and conduit, a pipe disposed about the lower portion of the conduit and having perforations in one of its walls, a branch connecting said pipe with the interior of the conduit whereby the pipe receives steam from the conduit, said pipe discharging steam through its perforations into the vertically extending air passages, and said bafiles being curved whereby the steam in its progress upward through the air passages contacts with the upper portions of the baffles.

3. In a humidifier, a conduit adapted to be connected with a steam line to receive steam therefrom, a sleeve surrounding said conduit, baflles between the sleeve and conduit to provide vertically extending air passages, a pipe disposed about the lower portion of the conduit, means for supplying steam to said pipe from the interior of the conduit, said pipe being perforated to discharge steam from the pipe, a housing enclosing the pipe and dis posed between the lower portions of the baffles, said housing having perforations in its upper walls whereby steam discharged into the housing by the pipe may pass outwardly therefrom, means within the housing to muffie the noise of the escaping steam, and the upper wall of said housing being shaped to form receptacles between the baflies whereby condensation from the upper portions of the bafiies will be collected.

4. In a humidifier, a conduit adapted to be connected with a steam line to receive steam therefrom, a sleeve surrounding said conduit, baflies between the sleeve and conduit to provide vertically extending air passages, a pipe disposed about the lower portion of the conduit, means for supplying steam to said pipe from the interior of the conduit, said pipe being perforated to discharge steam, a housing enclosing the pipe and disposed between the lower portions of the baflies, said housing having perforations whereby steam discharged into the housing by the pipe may pass outwardly of the housing, means within the housing to muffle the noise of the escaping steam, and said baflies having their upper portions curved to extend over the housings whereby steam moving upwardly through the vertical passages will contact with the upper portions of the baffles.

5. In a humidifier, a conduit adapted to be connected in a steam line to receive steam therefrom, a sleeve surrounding said conduit, baflies between the sleeve and conduit to provide air passages therebetween, a housing about the lower portion of the conduit and between the same and the sleeve, a tube communicating with the interior of the conduit and having a perforated portion in said housing whereby to supply steam thereto, perforated means dividing said housing into upper and lower chambers, said perforated portion of the tube being disposed in the lower of said chambers, metal screening in the lower chamber above the tube, fibrous material in the upper chamber, the upper wall of said housing being perforated, said baffles spirally arranged to overlap the upper wall of the housing and heat the moisture discharged from the housing and moving upwardly in the passages, said baflies contacting with said housing, and the upper Wall of the housing depressed to form a receptacle for condensation running down the bafiies.

6. In a humidifier, a conduit to be connected with a steam line to receive steam therefrom, means to convey steam from the inside of said conduit and discharge it at the outer side thereof, an open ended casing about said conduit and means and into which said means discharges, and baffles in said casing and forming air passages therethrough.

7. In combination, a steam supply line, a humidifier including a length of pipe in said line, means receiving steam from said pipe and discharging it at the outer side thereof adjacent one of its ends, an open ended casing spaced from and surrounding said pipe and into which said steam is discharged, baffles extending between and connected with said pipe and casing and providing air passages through the casing, and said baffles heated by said pipe whereby steam laden air moving through said passages is heated by contact with said pipe and baflies.

8. In a humidifier, a conduit adapted to be connected with a steam line to receive steam therefrom, a pipecommunicating with the interior of said conduit to receive steam therefrom and carry it to the exterior thereof, said pipe encircling the conduit adjacent one end of the latter, said pipe perforated in its conduit encircling portion for the discharge of steam, an open ended casing spaced from and surrounding said conduit and in which said steam is discharged, a noise mufiling means receiving the perforated portion of the pipe within said casing, and baflles between said conduit and casing and forming air passages through the latter.

9. In a humidifier, a conduit to be connected with a steam line to receive steam therefrom, a pipe communicating with the interior of said conduit to receive steam therefrom and carry it to the exterior thereof, said pipe encircling the conduit adjacent one end of the latter, said pipe perforated in its conduit encircling portion for the discharge of steam, an open ended casing spaced from and surrounding said conduit and into which said steam is discharged, and baflies between said conduit and casing and forming air passages through the latter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LEROY W. HOYT. 

